By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Harlingen High senior Jacob Garza is accustomed to playing whatever role is asked of him.

The dual-sport star and four-year varsity letterman in soccer also was the Cardinals’ starting placekicker on the football team, a position he had held since his sophomore year.

For the third time in as many seasons, he is The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Boys Soccer Utility Player of the Year.

“This year didn’t really turn out the way we wanted,” Garza said. “But we gave it all we had. There were some tough teams in our district that were tough to beat and tough to finish on, but it was a great season overall.”

Harlingen High coach Johnny Guillen said he knew as soon as he took over the Cardinals’ program that Garza was going to be an important part of the team’s future. He named Garza as a captain and never looked back.

“He was a good player, but he was a great leader,” Guillen said. “He has a great head on his shoulders, and he’s going to do great things in college.”

The Ranger College signee was still undecided about his college choice at the beginning of the year, but Guillen and the renowned Cardinals strength and conditioning coaches helped him focus on building strength and adding muscle to help boost his prospects of playing at the next level.

Garza also credited the football coaching staff for improving his conditioning and endurance to make for a smoother transition from one sport to the other following the short break before the start of the soccer season.

Guillen praised Garza’s weight room work ethic and his ability to translate that extra effort into on-field results, scoring seven goals during his final season with the Cardinals.

“I do remember some games (in previous seasons) where I would be tired before the game was over,” Garza said. “I would still finish it, of course, and push myself. … I think the conditioning helped me to play more without any cramps or muscle strains, and it helped me to finish the season strong.”

From manning the back line on defense to helping facilitate the flow of the offense as a center midfielder to attacking as a forward, Garza did it all.

“I played a lot of defense in the beginning of the year,” Garza said. “I really love playing anywhere, I don’t mind what position I play. … Pretty much wherever my coaches would put me, I just play and I execute and give it all I’ve got.”

During the first round of District 32-6A play against San Benito on Jan 31, Garza scored the deciding goal with 10 minutes remaining in the second half of a 2-1 victory.

“I think that was a game where we played to our full potential,” Garza said.

Garza’s younger brother, Joseph, a sophomore, started alongside him this season, an opportunity Jacob called “a blessing.”

“He’s starting to improve a lot,” Jacob said. “A lot of the younger guys improved, and they’ll be good next year.”

Jacob said he wants to be remembered as someone who was selfless and an example for his teammates.

Guillen echoed those sentiments, calling Jacob “a player who would do anything for the team.”

“I think what I did gave my teammates confidence that they could do the same thing,” Jacob said. “It takes heart, but if you can learn how to do it, you can play (anywhere). I never complained to my coach, and I was always excited to be out there playing the sport that I love.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Porter middle distance runner Estrella Medellin never could have imagined the setting and circumstances around which her college signing took place.

With her parents and a small group of Porter coaches and administrators — all clad in masks — and a laptop set up on an adjacent table livestreaming her ceremony via a Zoom meeting, the senior cross country and track & field athlete signed her letter of intent Wednesday to attend the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Medellin wished she would have been able to have more of her friends and family to support her in person, but said she was grateful that the stream gave her the opportunity to hold her signing on campus.

One unintended positive consequence of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic for Medellin was the chance for her godmother to virtually witness her signing from San Antonio.

“(I want to thank) my teachers, my coaches and my parents for taking me everywhere I need to go,” Medellin said. “As well as my teammates that I have encountered during my four years (competing in track & field).”

Medellin was widely respected by her coaches and her peers not only for her athletic ambitions, but also her academic aspirations. She intends to major in mechanical engineering, and hopes to one day be an aerospace or aircraft engineer.

She was offered a place in the Vaqueros’ track & field program in January, but after a lengthy deliberation she chose to stay close to home after weighing her other options, convinced in part by the commitment the coaching staff showed her throughout her recruiting process.

“I was surprised that they still had a spot for me,” Medellin said. “That made me think that they actually wanted me, so I decided that it was then (Saturday) that I wanted to (run for UTRGV).”

In her decorated career, the milestone that was perhaps most significant was a trip to the University Interscholastic League Class 5A state meet as a junior in the triple jump in 2019. It was the first time a Porter girl had accomplished such a feat since Letica Trevino qualified in the mile run in 1988.

“I was able to put Porter back on the map,” Medellin said. “It had been a while since Porter had been back on the map in track & field.”

The triple jump and the 800-meter run are her favorite events, and Medellin showed why throughout her final season with the Cowgirls.

In her final high school competition — the Brownsville City Meet on March 13 — she went out on top, as the highest point-scorer in the girls division.

“It was a gradual process,” Porter girls track coach Connie Uribe Solis said of Medellin’s growth as an athlete. “She is a kid who is full of integrity. She does everything correct, everything you ask her, and she’ll do it even when nobody is watching. … She is a pioneer for the sport of track.”

Medellin won the 400 (1 minute, 2.24 seconds) and 800 (2:24.18), and also ran with the Cowgirls’ third-place 1,600 relay team that finished in 4:24.95. She also excelled in the field events, placing first with a triple jump of 33 feet, 8 1/2 inches and second in the long jump with a mark of 16 feet, 1 inch.

During her last cross country season, Medellin was consistently a top-10 finisher. She was second at the District 32-5A meet and placed 28th at the UIL Region IV championship Oct. 28, 2019, in Corpus Christi.

“She’s always the hardest working kid,” Porter cross country coach Danny De La Rosa said. “She not only works hard on the track, but she’s one of the top 10 students in the class. She exemplifies (what it means to be) a student-athlete, and we’re very fortunate to have Estrella here and have her teach our young kids about work ethic. … She’s led our team to great things.”

Medellin is eager to leave behind an even greater legacy with UTRGV, where she will be a part of a team with athletes from all over the Rio Grande Valley and as far away as Kenya, the Netherlands and Spain.

“I’ve seen that their program is really turning around,” Medellin said. “And I can’t wait to be part of it.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Harlingen South sophomore defender Alejandro Sanchez is new on the varsity soccer scene.

But he showed flashes of elite defensive ability and was one of the most coachable players on Hawks coach Julian Robles’ squad this season.

Sanchez is the Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Boys Soccer Newcomer of the Year.

“I know I put in as much effort as the other guys,” Sanchez said. “I’m just honored and very grateful to have managed to pull off this award.”

Robles said Sanchez came into the program with a strong work ethic, humility and a love for the game. But that alone wasn’t going to cut it — he had big shoes to fill after a strong class of Hawks seniors departed in 2019.

“I knew this year I had to step it up,” Sanchez said. “We knew that the freshman and incoming sophomores had to step it up. I’m very proud about what I’ve done this season.”

Sanchez listed among the season’s highlights the fact that he started in 20 of the 23 games in which South played, and he saw time in all but one of the Hawks’ contests in 2020. There was also the chance to experience beating rival Harlingen High — twice.

His coach said Sanchez is an inquisitive mind and was eager to learn as much as he could about the ins and outs of the central defender position.

“He has a lot of room to grow, he’s still young,” Robles said. “We’ve worked with him during the offseason to get him up to speed. He’s made some mistakes, but that’s part of the game. … He’s been learning how to read the field and maneuver, and he’s a fast learner.”

Robles said the most important aspect of Sanchez’s game is his ability to quickly bring the ball upfield and move the ball to his team’s midfielders.

Also, the sophomore is unafraid to play a physical game, but he has the ability to finesse. The Hawks coaches quickly observed his flair for the dramatic whenever the ball is between his feet.

“He helped us defensively,” Robles said. “We were able to use him to play off the angles and start the offense. … He does things with a soccer ball that make me say, ‘There’s no way he can do that’. He just surprised the heck out of us.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — San Benito coach William Huerta knew at the start of the 2020 season he had an experienced group of players hungry to show they could improve upon last year’s early exit from the postseason.

“The whole team put in hard work and dedication,” Huerta said. “I can’t take that away from them. They came together as a team. They wanted to do something special this year.”

Huerta and assistant coaches Jesus Zuniga, Carlos Zuniga and Pedro Contreras guided the Greyhounds to a 19-18-1 overall record and a 6-4 mark in district play.

For his efforts in leading San Benito to the second playoff seed in an ultra competitive District 32-6A, Huerta is the Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Boys Soccer Coach of the Year.

“It’s an honor, I thank God first and foremost,” Huerta said. “Of course, I couldn’t have done it without the coaching staff I have, they’re dedicated to what we do. … We all work hard with the boys and instill values in them, not only for the game but for academic (success).”

San Benito relied heavily upon its senior class, including top scorers Adrian Martinez and Andy Mares, but the Greyhounds were a balanced group from top to bottom, featuring eight players with at least five goals and three others who tallied at least three goals.

Huerta’s squad was tied with Brownsville Hanna as the highest-scoring 32-6A team, with 57 goals in 38 games.

Other key contributors were seniors Ever Cruz and Senovio Cerdan, juniors Axel Rivera and David Davila, and sophomore Ricardo Sanchez.

San Benito picked up crucial victories over playoff qualifiers Brownsville Rivera and Brownsville Hanna and district champion Los Fresnos in the final game of the season.

The Greyhounds told Huerta that their goal was not only to make the playoffs, but to make a good run in the playoffs.

While the University Interscholastic League’s decision to cancel spring sports due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic made those plans impossible, Huerta said he and his staff have plenty to be proud of about San Benito’s performance this year.

“It’s unfortunate that the soccer season was cut short because of the (pandemic),” Huerta said. “I feel for our seniors because they worked really hard to get into the playoffs, and they felt confident along with the rest of the team and coaches that they would make a good run this season. I can say, though, that our seniors have strengthened the foundation for the upcoming seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen, and left a tradition for them to continue.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — As a center midfielder, Harlingen High’s Serena Escobar is the engine that makes the Lady Cardinals go.

“She pressured the ball, she wanted the ball and she knew how to distribute to every player on the team,” Harlingen High coach Debra Galvan said. “She knew how to incorporate everybody on the field.”

She is The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Most Valuable Player.

“She was definitely (our team’s) MVP,” Galvan said. “So for her to get the (All-STAR MVP award), it surely means a lot to her.”

Galvan said the Ranger College-bound senior and the Lady Cardinals’ team captain is a proven leader who made significant strides during each of her four years as a varsity letterwinner. She tallied seven goals and 11 assists during her final season in red and black, helping Harlingen High clinch a playoff spot in District 32-6A.

“For me, there’s always room for improvement,” Escobar said. “I just wanted to improve on what I already know about the game. Little things like touches, my footwork and getting my name out there so I could go to college and play (at the next level).”

Escobar said she organized meetings with her current and soon-to-be new teammates last summer in the midst of their club soccer league, and that the girls “clicked really fast.”

“She was one of those players where if she was missing on that field, it showed,” Galvan said. “The girls looked up to her. As a coach, I was able to let her know what I expected from the team, and she would let the girls know. … If I asked her to do something, she would do it and she would have the other girls do it as well.”

One of the hallmarks of Escobar’s tenure with the Lady Cardinals was her leadership, only rivaled by her play on the field.

“I think that the upperclassmen and underclassmen were really open to learning about each other,” Escobar said. “And learning skills from each other. That made our chemistry better, because our communication on and off the field made it work.”

Galvan recalled the first time she saw Escobar showcase her range, when she scored a goal from midfield during a tournament in McAllen.

“She has a (strong) leg on her,” Galvan said. “I think that was her turning point to know just how much power she had behind her.”

Escobar’s absence following a twisted ankle she suffered against Harlingen South was yet another indication of her importance to her squad.

“Without her we wouldn’t be the same team,” Galvan said. “She will definitely be missed, and she’s going to be a player that’s going to be hard to replace.”

The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 Girls All-STAR Soccer Team

Most Valuable Player

Serena Escobar, Harlingen High

Offensive Player of the Year

Sarah Grace Garza, Harlingen South

Defensive Player of the Year

Korynne Reininger, Harlingen South

Utility Player of the Year

Joscelyn Liscano, La Feria

Newcomer of the Year

Maya Quinones, Harlingen High

Coach of the Year

Omar Pedroza, Harlingen South

First Team

Forwards: Monique Rodriguez, Harlingen High; Kaitlynn Pena, Rio Hondo

Midfielders: Sandra Lopez, Harlingen South; Caroline Grannum, Harlingen South; Olivia Olivarez, Harlingen South; Vanessa Alcala, San Benito

Defenders: Lauren Powell, Harlingen High; Vanessa Villanueva, Rio Hondo; Lorena Barron, San Benito; Kaitlyn Longoria, La Feria

Goalkeeper: Joana Marquez, Harlingen South

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Harlingen South sophomore Sarah Grace Garza burst onto the scene in 2019 as a freshman amid a stacked group of midfielders and forwards — including then-seniors Alise Garza and Mellory Grannum — to earn the District 32-6A Newcomer of the Year award and Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Newcomer of the Year honors.

In her next act, she moved from the midfield to the forward spot to make up for the absence of two of last season’s biggest stars and became the leading scorer for the 32-6A champions, recording 26 goals.

“We needed someone out there (at forward) who could put pressure on the defense,” Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said. “Sarah did an incredible job.”

She is The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Offensive Player of the Year.

“I was pretty surprised when I heard I got (the award) because our district is filled with talented players,” Garza said. “I’m just grateful I could represent South. This year was challenging, but I think we deserved (the recognition), honestly, after everything (we went through).”

Garza appreciated Pedroza’s guidance and thanked him for aiding her in her transition to a new position.

“Ever since my freshman year I was (at left midfield), and one game he moves me to forward,” Garza said. “I wasn’t really comfortable with it, but after a while I just put my faith into it and his vision of the game, and it worked out. I’m grateful he’s our coach. … I’ve just learned to trust him. He’s not like any other coach. He deserves everything, he deserves (the All-STAR coach of the year award), and his 500 wins.”

Becoming accustomed to a new set of players was a challenge for Garza and her teammates with varsity experience, but she said the team made a concerted effort to embrace the newcomers who were brought up from the JV level, enhancing the team’s sense of cohesion.

“We didn’t expect (success) to come easy,” Garza said. “We had to really work hard. It was all just so unpredictable. Every team (we faced) was so good. We just really had to step it up. … But it paid off, it was worth everything we put in.”

Garza credited the Lady Hawks’ experienced veterans and captains for their role in keeping the team hungry for more success, and the spirit of determination that helped them battle their way back after trailing in several key games.

“Ever since the beginning of the season, we’ve just always had that mentality to keep on pushing,” Garza said. “No matter how hard the game was or if we were down, because in many games we were down, we just had to come back harder and stronger, and we did.”

She converted a penalty kick in a victory to open the district slate Jan. 31 at Los Fresnos, added a tying goal in a 3-2 win over Brownsville Hanna on Feb. 14. Against Harlingen High on March 6, she tallied a goal during each half to rally the Lady Hawks from a 2-0 deficit and pick up a 3-2 win (4-3 in PKs.).

“In our previous (meeting), we had lost to (Harlingen High in PKs),” Garza said. “After (the victory over the Lady Cardinals), that was just the most rewarding feeling ever.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Harlingen South coach Omar Pedroza said he felt the leaps some of his young players made enabled his Lady Hawks to surprise some around the Rio Grande Valley in the followup performance to the team’s 2019 playoff run to the University Interscholastic League Region IV-6A Tournament final.

But junior sweeper Korynne Reininger’s steady defensive play and ascendance into a leadership role surprised no one with any familiarity of this year’s South squad.

Reininger helped lead a unit of new defenders that conceded a mere 11 goals in District 32-6A play. She is The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Girls Soccer Defensive Player of the Year.

“I was honored and extremely humbled that I was picked,” Reininger said. “Because there are a lot of tough players and talented players in the district this year.”

At the start of the season, Reininger was equally humbled when she found out she was appointed a team captain.

“It took a lot to learn how to truly lead a team, and thankfully people in my life gave me great advice about leadership,” Reininger said. “I think by the end of the season — because my teammates were so coachable and adaptable — being a captain became second nature.”

Her coach credits Reininger as being quite versatile herself.

“She’s very smart,” Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said. “She’s an outstanding player. She’s very talented. She’s the one who controls everything back there and tells everyone what to do defensively. She’s … such a good athlete. She’s gotten better and better every year. We needed help and for her to play at a higher level, and she was able to do that.”

Reininger thanked defensive teammates Hailey Danner, Dell Davis, Gabbi Martinez and Samantha Pitts for stepping up to form one of the Valley’s most imposing back lines.

“I have played sweeper since my freshman year of high school, and I have learned a lot about the position through the years,” Reininger said. “I knew that I was to be the voice in the back. But what made it easy to be the leader of the defense this year was that (my teammates) were all so coachable and open to making adjustments to anything the team needed. I was truly blessed to have such a coachable team this year, especially (on) defense.”

The Lady Hawks had ambitions of returning to the regional tournament and making another deep postseason campaign, but the COVID-19 coronavirus has shelved those plans for the foreseeable future.

This experience has taught Reininger to seize every opportunity “to play every game with your absolute best effort and with the most joy.”

But she also lamented the missed opportunity for the team’s young players to experience the playoffs, which was invaluable to her as a sophomore in 2019.

“You never know when your last game is,” Reininger said. “Sadly, our last game was the end of district (play) this year. South soccer thrives in the playoff atmosphere, and those experiences really help a team mature. The playoff experience would have been a great training ground for this team since we are relatively young and are comprised of a lot of underclassmen.”

During the past month, since the UIL suspended all athletic activities, she and her Lady Hawks teammates are trying to stay positive as they come to grips with the notion that their season may soon come to an official end.

“We are all safe but very anxious to get back to playing the game of soccer that we love,” Reininger said. “We have virtual group meetings to compensate for the lack of in-person social interaction.”

While Reininger and South were appreciative of last year’s memorable run for what it signified to the Valley and the rest of the state, she and her teammates were eager for a chance to make history in 2020.

“The great memories from last year set the standards for what a Rio Grande Valley team could do during playoffs,” Reininger said. “But in the end every year is new. You have a new team, and you have to almost forget about what happened last year. You have to prove each year that the team is a force to be reckoned with on the field.

“Making it to the Elite Eight definitely inspired our mindset for this year, but coming into this season the South girls’ soccer team knew that everything from last year was that team’s success and it was time to prove what we could do with this year’s team.”

In lieu of the chance to compete in the playoffs, capturing the team’s first district title in 11 years and being a part of Pedroza’s 500th career win were useful milestones to help keep the team motivated, and in retrospect serve as reminders of what the program has accomplished.

“(Pedroza’s 500th win) was a way to really celebrate success with this 2019-2020 team,” We love (Pedroza) and we are so proud of him, and all the accomplishments he has and continues to have to this day.”

Reininger thanked Pedroza and assistant coach Monica Silva, as well as Harlingen South boys coach Julian Robles and his staff for working with her to improve her vision of the field and to perfect her skills.

“Not only do they coach us, they care about us far beyond the soccer field,” Reininger said. “They want to see us succeed in life and are very proud of us in every individual accomplishment, too. The coaches set the tone for how the players on the team treat each other. The coaches have helped me evolve as a player mentally and physically through the tough drills and practices we have. … I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today without all the coaches I have had.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — La Feria senior Joscelyn Lizcano understands what it takes to be a leader. As the Lionettes’ top scorer in 2019, she was named District 32-4A offensive MVP.

The four-year letterwinner has clinched a playoff berth each year she has suited up for La Feria. She has played in the postseason for the past three years, helping her team capture its fifth consecutive district title in 2019. She has advanced to the second round of the postseason three times, and to the third round in her sophomore season.

For her efforts in finding ways to help her team at multiple positions, Lizcano is The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Girls Soccer Utility Player of the Year.

La Feria first-year coach Juan Echevarria said the award and the recognition Lizcano earned for her play was a fitting way for his top player to cap her career with the Lionettes.

“My initial reaction to receiving this award was very heartfelt,” Lizcano said. “I automatically reminisced to all the training, games and to all the times I was resilient. This award means so much to me as it is the last award I will earn as a senior.”

She added that her experience helped fuel her desire to keep learning and growing as she cemented her status as one of the top sub-5A players in the Rio Grande Valley. Lizcano prepared mentally and physically to step up her game as a leader the previous season, and so she was not fazed by the next task in front of her.

“The intensity of last year’s season helped (improve) how I played this year,” Lizcano said. “I wanted to better myself as a player individually and in conjunction, to have a better team connection.”

Lizcano was reliable as a defender, forward and center midfielder for the Lionettes, and once again was the team’s top scorer, facing off against her opponents’ top defenders and absorbing their toughest hits.

“The only position we didn’t play her at was goalie,” Echevarria said. “But I’m sure she could have done great at that if we needed her.”

The La Feria coach knew he could depend on Lizcano to do more than merely fill in as a replacement-level player for other injured starters.

“She had great ball control, the best on the team,” Echevarria said. “She had great (field) vision, and any of the plays that we made were going to have to go through her. If we get her the ball, she’ll know when to take it herself or to distribute it (to her teammates).”

She was unanimously chosen by the Lionettes’ coaching staff as one of La Feria’s three team captains for the 2020 season, due to her dedication and teamwork.

Lizcano said she was thankful for the impact her coaches had on her during her final season.

“Playing for Coach Echevarria was a privilege,” Lizcano said. “He has showcased wonderful qualities that have helped the team unite as one. As well as (assistant coaches Yvette Rodriguez and Mario Perez), they have helped show my true potential on the field, by not only being my coaches but my supporters.”

Lizcano said she is a “disciplined and vocal” leader, and her coach agreed, adding that she would lead by example on the practice field and in game situations.

Despite the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic making the chance of actually playing out Lizcano’s final postseason berth unlikely for the Lionettes, she said she has plenty to look back on fondly about her final season.

“What I will take away from this season is the bonds I have made with the girls this year,” Lizcano said. “All the quality player interaction time, the fun practices as well as the hard (workouts), to the way the team sparks when (we play) together.”

She still keeps in touch with her teammates regularly via their group chat, a byproduct of her efforts to improve the communication on the field. Lizcano said developing better rapport with her teammates was a point of emphasis for her heading into the season.

“Having communication on and off the field has helped me have a better feel of play with my teammates,” Lizcano said.

Lizcano set the tone for the Lionettes in the weight room and started every game, from the preseason to their final district contest.

“I would love to personally thank my parents for guiding me throughout my soccer career, with nonstop love and support,” Lizcano said. “As well as my sister Juleanna, (my best friend) Sydney, and my boyfriend Alex Ruiz. I can’t forget about my first soccer coach, Jesse Villarreal, who taught me the techniques and ways of soccer. As well as my (select team teammates) Caroline Grannum and Korynne Reininger for being my only two soccer friends back (in 2014), my sisters, I love you all.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Grit. Moxie. Toughness. Whatever you want to call it, Harlingen High freshman Maya Quinones has it.

“Maya’s the type of player that will give you heart,” Lady Cardinals coach Debra Galvan said. “It’s very hard to find a player with a lot of heart nowadays. … The minute she steps on that field, she is going to leave it all on that field.”

Quinones thrived in her first season at Harlingen High as a defensive starter and excelled on the attacking end of the field as a forward and wing, tallying nine assists and three goals. She is The Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Girls Soccer Newcomer of the Year.

“Maya … has helped the team tremendously at every position we played her,” Galvan said. “We’re very proud of her.”

Playing for the Sting club team in San Antonio helped Quinones acclimate quickly to the high school game.

“It was a new challenge for me,” Quinones said. “Every game was a new challenge. It was fun, and it was nice knowing I had a team behind me to help me and go through all of it together. It wasn’t that big of a transition, because my team accepted me from the start. It was like a big family.”

Her coach noted that she lacked the fear and timidity that some players succumb to when they are new to the varsity stage. But Galvan said Quinones battled for every ball and excelled in every position she was asked to play.

“Wherever she needed to put me, I gave it my all,” Quinones said. “It was a lot of pressure, but I did what I could and I gave it my all.”

Quinones’ aggressive style helped the Lady Cardinals plug in a hole as a forward/wing and provided Harlingen High with a much-needed spark.

“Maya has that go-getter attitude,” Galvan said. “We had struggled to get a wing that was able to attack the goal like we wanted them to, so to see her on the defensive side attacking and moving up, we figured, ‘Let’s try her’. … She took over that position easily.”

Quinones knows her small stature and affable demeanor may deceive opponents who overlook her abilities. But she said she’s constantly driven by the opportunity to come through for her teammates and supporters.

“It just comes naturally,” Quinones said. “I want to win every game. … And just make sure you don’t let anyone down, because a lot of people expect a lot (from me). It just happens on the field, a whole different person comes out.”

While her offensive workload increased, the importance of her role of guarding the back line also grew. In a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Brownsville Hanna on Feb. 4, Quinones notched the go-ahead goal and helped goalkeeper Erianah Zapata keep a clean sheet during the second half.

“We also knew that if we needed to defend, we could move her back and she’d be able to stop players from penetrating through to the goal,” Galvan said. “We just saw her skill, and we knew we were going to be able to use her on the sides (of the field).”

In a competitive District 32-6A race, Quinones’ all-around game was a crucial component of Harlingen High’s push to clinch a playoff berth.

“She has a lot of talent, and a lot of skill,” Galvan said. “To know that we have her for another three years, it’s a blessing to have her out there on that field with us.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Coming off of a 2019 season in which the Harlingen South Lady Hawks went 23-4 and came within one win of reaching the University Interscholastic League Class 6A state tournament, expectations for coach Omar Pedroza were sky-high.

Pedroza guided his squad to an 18-6-1 overall record when the UIL suspended the season due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The Lady Hawks posted an 8-2 mark in District 32-6A play and captured Harlingen South’s first district title since 2011 and the 14th in program history.

For those efforts, Pedroza, has been named the Valley Morning Star’s 2020 All-STAR Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

As much as he and his team would be thrilled to have the opportunity to try to top their storybook playoff run, Pedroza isn’t bullish on the prospects of the season resuming, noting conflicts with state testing and graduations that will take precedence in terms of rescheduling events affected by the pandemic.

“In my personal opinion, I don’t see it,” Pedroza said. “I don’t see how it would be possible for us to get back and try to finish out the year. … It’s going to be very difficult.”

But as far as what Pedroza and the Lady Hawks were able to control — their play on the field — he has no regrets or reservations about the 2020 season.

“I’m really happy with the way things have turned out,” Pedroza said. “We won district, which is something we hadn’t done in a while. I was really happy for the girls to be able to do that. … We were just trying to work hard to make the playoffs, and so to end up winning district is really something else.”

In addition, the longtime coach — the longest tenured high school girls soccer coach in the Rio Grande Valley, alongside McAllen High coach Pat Arney — just completed his 24th season, and both coaches earned their 500th career victories in 2020. Pedroza entered the year at 495 wins and reached the milestone Jan. 11 at the Edinburg CISD tournament.

“Personally it’s been a special year for me,” Pedroza said. “Last year, when we finished that last game (the Region IV-6A final) against (Austin Lake Travis), I knew we were five games away from 500. So we knew it could happen this year. (Reaching the mark) this early in the year with this group of girls, it (was) really great.”

Pedroza and assistant coach Monica Silva knew replacing the offensive production of Alise Garza and Mellory Grannum and the defensive prowess of Jackie Guillen and goalkeeper Reid Davis was a tall task.

But Harlingen South’s five returning starters all elevated their games, including sophomore midfielder Sarah Grace Garza, the Lady Hawks’ leading goal scorer, and junior Korynne Reininger, the team’s top defender.

South’s coach has been able to continue developing talent at all levels of the program, finding roles for players to contribute and gain varsity experience year after year.

“We had four girls (move up) from JV dark that were starters this year,” Pedroza said. “They got better and better as the year went on. We had to have a lot of help because last year we lost a high-level group of girls.”

That’s why, Pedroza believes, “we were able to surprise some people” and win the district crown.

In nearly a quarter century of coaching at South, he said that just about each time he ever wondered whether or not a particular team might have had what it took to compete at the level the Lady Hawks have become accustomed to, he’s been happy to have had those internal doubts silenced.

“The girls always step up,” Pedroza said. “Every year the girls step up. All the girls who played on JV dark this year, they were outstanding. At the beginning of the year, it’s always like, ‘Oh, how are we going to do this year?’ And as the season goes on, (the girls) just get better and better. I’ve been blessed with the kind of talent that we have at South.”